Definitely as there is more room there. Just would like it somewhere.
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News Blue Sky Cellar has reopened for Pixar Pier Exhibit. And TDA gossip.
- Thread starter TP2000
- Start date
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Al Lutz used to work months in Advance for his April Fools article, going back to MousePlanet, I presume the use of his name is in tribute to his long time yearly articles, most of which were truly awesome.
As for his current status, he has requested that nothing be released.
Nope, brutally ugly and cheap and plopped right in the middle of the land. Like this.
Wow thanks for the update. I'm happy Blue Sky Cellar is reopening. That was one of the biggest highlights of going to DCA to see when they added new videos and models for the revamp. It was a lot of fun to go in there and just imagine how different and cooler the park would be. I'm not overly excited about Pixar Pier but its more of a plus than a minus, especially the roller coaster.
As for WDW, not too surprised its underperforming. The place is just too big and you have to fill those hotels all year long. And its not really designed for locals like DLR is. People are always whining about the APs, monthly payments, etc, but they clearly work! WDW has the same thing but they have a much smaller local base and can't depend on them to show up in droves like DL. And its hard to keep tourists coming all the time if you don't have a lot of new stuff to show them. Of course that looks like it will change with SWL and Toy Storyland. My guess is Avatar got some interest but not enough to create a huge wave.
As for WDW, not too surprised its underperforming. The place is just too big and you have to fill those hotels all year long. And its not really designed for locals like DLR is. People are always whining about the APs, monthly payments, etc, but they clearly work! WDW has the same thing but they have a much smaller local base and can't depend on them to show up in droves like DL. And its hard to keep tourists coming all the time if you don't have a lot of new stuff to show them. Of course that looks like it will change with SWL and Toy Storyland. My guess is Avatar got some interest but not enough to create a huge wave.
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EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
And yet WDW underperforming still makes wayyyy more money than DL.
FerretAfros
Well-Known Member
Ugh, I knew that you were delightfully fancy, but the neighbor lady is too!? That's just too much!
Meanwhile, I'll be hanging out with @Curious Constance in our matching potato sacks
This isn't a huge surprise; WDW has been running things like they've been going out of business. Constant price increase and up-charges while simultaneously cutting quality (often drastically) will only get you so far, and WDW has long passed that. The MyMagic+ program has been an ongoing disaster that is incredibly expensive without adding any real value to the consumer, and the resort has been almost completely stagnant for over a decade.
DLR thrives off locals who can pop in for an afternoon or make a quick weekend trip. WDW is a much bigger ordeal, requiring more time, planning, and money. For anything longer than 2-3 days, it's easier and cheaper to travel to Europe than WDW (for people beyond driving distance). As fun as a Disney vacation can be, there's simply no comparing the value for the cost and effort to other vacation options. Perhaps the general public is finally catching on, and spending their vacation dollars elsewhere
Catherine Powell had a lot of public face time leading up to and through DLP's 25th. She seems delightful, knowledgeable, effective, and like she really "gets it" in a way that I haven't seen from any other Disney exec in recent memory. I know that what people say and do in front of the press doesn't always reflect what they do behind closed doors, but given the great turnarounds DLP has had under her control for maintenance, entertainment quality, and overall cast morale, it seems like she could have big things ahead of her
Old Mouseketeer
Well-Known Member
I would argue that similar things were said about Mary Niven rolling out DCA 2.0 when she was the VP in charge of DCA. When they created the Senior VP position for her it seemed to presage her becoming DL Resort President, but that didn't happen. I haven't heard anything more about her, but I wonder if she will go the way of Meg Crofton. I wonder the same about George Kalogrides. Disney executive management is a little like the military and the major accounting firms--it's "up or out". But since George is my age, he could be heading towards retirement. Last I heard, he and his husband were building a home in Golden Oak at WDW.
FerretAfros
Well-Known Member
I remember reading all sorts of people fawning over Mary Niven, but from the (admittedly limited) things I saw from her, she never really blew me away. She seemed like a competent-but-detached executive, not terribly different than anybody else in Disney's revolving door progression. To me it always seemed like she was in the right place at the right time (presiding over DCA's operations during its redo era) rather than making any of the big infrastructure decisions herself. Its easy to get cast and guest alike to be excited for a massive billion-dollar-plus expansion like DCA's; it's much harder to do that for a mostly-hollow anniversary celebration at a resort that's always struggled like DLP.
Fitting for this thread, I frequently played the Mary Niven Drinking Game with my friends in the old Blue Sky Cellar. We'd start with a glass of wine from the adjoining terrace and watch the promotional video on the screen inside. Whenever somebody used a meaningless adjective like magical, terrific, immersive, etc. to describe the upcoming projects, we would take a sip. Toward the end of the video when Mary Niven proclaimed that something was going to be "really really great and wonderful," we'd finish our drink. She made for a very inspiring drinking game; maybe notsomuch as an executive
Everything I've seen of Catherine Powell seems incredibly sincere and full of passion for the product. I'd put Mary Niven's level of passion for the parks on about the same level as Bob Chapek; they see potential to make money and run a business, but just don't quite seem to "get it"
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Sounding excited about what your selling is kind of your job when your in public relations.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
If Disney truly wants Walt Disney World to operate more like the Disneyland Resort wouldn’t it make sense to send people from California to take charge in Florida? Instead Disney does just the opposite. The Disneyland Resort has not produced its own leader since Cynthia Harris.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
And people loved her as much as they do with Powell despite all the damage she caused to the resort.
VJ
Well-Known Member
I don't think 2012 can be considered "at the moment"......WHAT?!?
SteamboatJoe
Well-Known Member
The recent projects at WDW are making up for years of stagnation, under whelming re-skins, and, in some instances, outright negelect. NFL was great but it took nearly 20 years for them to actually repurpose the 20,000 Leagues site with something of real value. Even with that, the list of attractions and pavilions in need of serious TLC at WDW is still quite lengthy. I am happy for some of the new stuff but it would be nice if they also took care of the stuff they already have. I am hoping the Tomorrowland refresh is a positive indication that things will start to move in that direction.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
What about the Star Wars expansion?
Or the Guardians Tower and upcoming Marvel attractions?
Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
You remembered our matching potato sacks. *sniff*
VJ
Well-Known Member
I'll give you Star Wars but I doubt Chapek would have allowed it if WDW didn't get it too (have you noticed the 2 (or more) for 1 deals going on in Imagineering lately?)
Guardians Tower was done almost as cheaply as possible. Upcoming Marvel attractions I can't speak on because we have literally zilch on details.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
Quite the opposite actually. Star Wars was a project largely driven at the time by Disneyland. The extravagance decisions included. WDW got a far nicer SW:GE than was planned as part of the initial DHS Redo plans to keep up pace. Apparently TDO even pushing back for some downgrades in the process.
However, soon after all the city council resistance to multiple planned DLR projects held everything up. The Eastern gateway was quite the debacle.
What Chapek did in the interim was somehow finally open the WDW purse strings. The situation kind of flip flopped since in a very big way. Orlando being the key project driver. But that literally all came to pass about 18 months ago.
DLR is still seeing quite big investment, but frankly the Eastern gateway is responsible for derailment of the planned project flow. Marvel, the gateway and probably Frozen should have all been well underway by now.
You also cannot undersell the subtle investments in the last few years. The 60th refurbs and pluses, Rivers of America, Fantasmic, Paint the Night, the Grizzly peak redo... far more controversial things like Guardians and Pixar Pier. They are not insignificant and that is the type of things WDW was not doing in the 2015-2018 period.
No one is denying WDW isn’t the clear project driver worldwide right now, but it was far far far overdue and there is a lot of catch up needed. Disneyland just needs a Tomorrowland plan, but it’s really not in that bad of a spot right now.
Model3 McQueen
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Very interesting read. I hope all this success doesn't get into everyone's heads that WDW needs some cheap re-skins to make it better.